The WINEMAKER

Axel May 𝔖 Born 1984 𝔖 11th generation at Steinmühle 𝔖 Apprenticed at renowned wine estates 𝔖 Degree in Viticulture from Geisenheim University 𝔖 International experience in California (Flowers Winery) and New Zealand (Seresin Estate)

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The LOCATION

Weingut Steinmühle is located in Osthofen, in the Wonnegau region of southern Rheinhessen.

The CLIMATE

Positioned in one of Germany’s most sun-rich and rain-poor regions, Osthofen enjoys fantastic climatic conditions for growing grapes. The region sits in the leeward shelter of the Hunsrück, Taunus, Odenwald and northern Palatinate highlands, fostering a warm, dry climate with warm winters. We typically see just 500 mm of annual precipitation to go with 1,600 hours of sun.

The LAND

Area under vine 28 ha 𝔖 135.000 vines 𝔖 certified organic farming 𝔖 biodynamic elements

The WINES

Gutsweine: Entry-level estate wines shaped by their terroir; the foundation of our quality pyramid 𝔖 Ortsweine: Wines from our best vineyards in the Osthofen district 𝔖 Lagenweine: Single site wines from within our best vineyards

The VINEYARDS

Klosterberg (Osthofen) 𝔖 Goldberg (Osthofen) 𝔖 Auf dem Schnapp (Osthofen) 𝔖 Leckerberg (Dittelsheim)

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The SOILS

Loess (= aeolian sediment from chalky Ice Age dust) 𝔖 Clay (= tertiary river sediment from the original Rhine riverbed) 𝔖 Clayish marl / limestone (= limestone-rich clay deposits from the Tertiary Sea)

Authentic 𝔖

Our forefather Johann Weissheimer II grasped the key insight of winemaking: „Good wine needs good soil“, he wrote in his diary – a truism just as relevant today as it was back then. In this age of mass production and industrial agriculture, we rely on our traditional strengths: authenticity, handicraft, origin and sustainability. Because great wine begins in the vineyard, we take great pride in the careful cultivation of our vines. We eschew herbicides and mineral fertilizers in favor of horse manure, green cover crops and crushed rocks. The vine rows are weeded mechanically. Since 2019 we are also BIO-certified. Taken collectively, these measures provide our vines with everything they need for natural yield reduction! Ecological balance is encouraged, stabilizing the ecosystem of our vineyards. This influences the ripeness and health of the grapes, as well as the quality and taste of the wine.

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Artisanal 𝔖

Our grapes are allowed 180–200 days of hang time during the vegetative phase, enough to develop their natural strength and defenses. At the same time, our vines benefit from a great deal of expert care to nurture them to their full potential. This work must all be done by hand, but to our minds this is a given anyways! Pruning, canopy management, consistent yield reduction, grape selection and crop thinning are all crucial steps on the path to gathering the finest harvest material and producing top quality wine. Given our focus on establishing quality through the vineyard, we firmly believe in only minimal intervention in the cellar. Grapes are transported on a trailer in 900 liter boxes, moving from vineyard to the estate, where they are then unloaded using a forklift and rotator. After pressing, the must is gravity-fed into our old vaulted cellar (erected 1823). Our wines ferment in stainless steel tanks and oak barrels (500 liter) using native yeast, which better underscores our distinctive style and flavor. The estate’s vaulted cellar provides the perfect cool spot for extended aging by promoting natural clarification and stabilization. When their time has come, the wines are gently filtered and bottled.

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Deeply Rooted 𝔖

As an estate with deep, long-standing roots, we at Weingut Steinmühle refuse to view tradition and modernity as opposites, but rather have taken Benjamin Franklin’s words as our guiding principle: „Tradition does not mean guarding the ashes, but fanning the embers.“ Our family’s winegrowing roots stretch back over 500 years. Since 1737, eleven generations of our family have worked this soil in Steinmühle, each leaving its own traces. They converted the aristocrat’s mill into an ambitious quality winegrowing estate. Numerous documents and sketchings allow us to harness the wisdom of the past for the challenges of today. The comprehensive history and diaries maintained by Johann Weißheimer II (1797–1883) provide valuable insight into the mill’s early days back in 1275. The literary and musical papers of Wendelin Weißheimer (1838–1910) further attest to his close friendships with personalities such as Richard Wagner, Franz Liszt, Hans von Bulow, Peter Cornelius and Ferdinand Lassalle. They played decisive roles in shaping the musical and political culture of Germany and Europe, and valued both our wines and the hospitality of our family.

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Our Wines 𝔖

As a founding member of MAXIME HERKUNFT RHEINHESSEN, we classify our wines using the system of the VDP, labeling them as Gutswein (estate level), Ortswein (village) and Lagenwein (single site). Our LAGENWEINE represent the finest our estate has to offer. The vineyards are lavished with attention, and only the finest grapes at their peak ripeness are harvested. These wines have their own character, elegance and depth, with tremendous aging potential. Our ORTSWEINE come from the best sites around Osthofen. Fully ripe, hand-harvested grapes are the basis for our complex, dense and elegant wines. Our GUTSWEINE are the foundation of our program and our estate’s calling card as well. Our work is based on meticulous attention and precision in the vineyard to create fresh, fruit-forward whites and sophisticated reds with attractive body and concentration.

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